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Hemp originated in Central Asia. Hemp cultivation for fibre was recorded in China as early as 2800 BCE and was practiced in the Mediterranean countries of Europe early in the Christian era, spreading throughout the rest of Europe during the Middle Ages. It was planted in Chile in the 1500s and a century later in North America.
Hemp was a major cash crop in the Eastern United States until 1937, when it was outlawed as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. Since then, hemp has been illegal to grow and sell until a few years ago, when President Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill, legalizing hemp by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act. Last year U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced a program that would allow farmers to grow hemp under federally-approved plans and make hemp producers eligible for a number of agricultural programs. This is big news for the hemp industry.
Did you know the Declaration of Independence was written on paper made from hemp? It’s true! Hemp paper has been around much longer than the paper we know now.
Image Credit: https://whatishemp.com/
Ranking the Top 3 Hemp Growing Countries
#1 – China
For some time, China grew nearly 70% of the world’s hemp. The earliest records of Chinese hemp use date as far back as the year 300. The main use for the plant, as with other countries on this list, was for fiber or survival food. In fact, after World War II, hemp saved many people from starving in areas of Northern China.
This brilliant use for the plant was noted by some Americans right around the time hemp prohibition began. In turn, many fought against hemp’s ban as they wanted to see its versatile uses put to work here in the States. As General Counsel Ralph Loziers of the US National Institute of Oilseed Production proclaimed in front of a congressional committee in 1937, hemp is used by a variety of nations around the world:
“Millions of people every day are using hempseed in [Asia] as food. They have been doing this for many generations, especially in periods of famine.”
Not only did the Chinese government never ban on the plant, they in fact supported industrial growth. Allowing hemp to prosper to an estimated 200,000 to 250,000 acres.
#2 – Canada
Health Canada, the federal agency in charge of distributing hemp licenses, reported Canadian farmers saw an 80% increase in hemp production between 2016 to 2017 – from 75,000 acres to 140,000.
Harvest takes place primarily in three providences — Saskatchewan (56,000 acres), Alberta (45,000 acres), and Manitoba (30,000 acres). Most of this cultivation focuses on extracted seeds for hemp oils, hemp protein powders, and hulled hemp seeds (similar food to sunflower seeds).
However, though the country reports they’ve seen a steady upward trend, signs are pointing to a potential decline in hemp production. The unfortunate truth is, Canada produced way more hemp than their people demanded. Therefore, prices on hemp products decreased exponentially.
The government is now working towards balancing out production with demand and, due to this, they may fall shorter on this list in the years to come.
Surprisingly, despite overall cannabis legalization and progressive attitudes on hemp, legal CBD in Canada is another matter. Technically, CBD is only available by prescription through medical cannabis dispensaries, but many people are accessing it informally on the gray market.
#3 – United States of America
The U.S. only recently made the list this past year with the 2018 hemp acreage report. With 78,176 total acres grown in up to 23 states, the country saw a massive expansion which earned a spot on this list.
Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill which legalized the crop nationwide, there’s a good chance the U.S. will continue to climb this list. Right now, the vast majority of hemp in the U.S. is grown for CBD. Other forms of hemp, used in textiles, fabric, or hempcrete, are often imported. We can expect that in the coming years, the U.S. will not only grow more hemp, but more forms of the plant too.
However, due to decades of prohibition, the following two countries were able to prosper within the last decades in ways we simply couldn’t.
Source and Credit: https://ministryofhemp.com/blog/hemp-growing-countries/
The global industrial hemp market size was valued at USD 3.61 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.2% from 2021 to 2028. The growing consumer demand for industrial hemp in food and beverage products for its dietary benefits is expected to drive the product demand. See what’s happening around the world in hemp.


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Global Game Jam 2017! The Record Edition!
Posted on 02, 16, 2017
The Global Game Jam® (GGJ) is the world’s largest game creation event taking place around the world so it couldn’t be missed in Italy either! Think of it as a hackathon focused on game development.
One of Codemotion’s missions is to support the game development industry. We’ve been really active in organizing GGJ already for some years since the event encourages people with all kinds of backgrounds to participate and contribute to this global spread of game development and creativity. We’re happy to notice that the figures are bigger every year! Global Game Jam is becoming more and more popular! The edition of 2017 was the one that broke all the possible records.
This year’s edition of GGJ took place from January 20-22th. It was already the sixth edition of GGJ organized by Codemotion in collaboration with LUISS Enlabs!
48 hours of coding, 120 participants from all over Italy, 21 teams in Rome and two teams participating from other locations, only 4 hours of sleep per day. The figures are getting bigger and bigger every year as Global Game Jam is becoming more popular!
Although Global Game Jam is a non-competitive hackathon, the special prizes of recognition were given to the following GGJ participants:
Best game: PRO EVOLUTION SUMO
Best Graphics and Best Sound: BOO-CHI
Global Game Jam 2017 was also a perfect occasion for Codemotion to present its new brand, new Game (). ‘The goal of the new brand – said Andrea Ferlito, CTO of Codemotion – is to popularize GameDev in Italy’.
We cannot wait for the next edition of the event! See you next year!

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The Board of Governors of the prestigious National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has been reconstituted by the Textile Ministry as the tenure of the previous Board expired on March 31, 2010. Textile Minister Dayanidhi Maran has included prominent textile industrialists and professionals in the newly constituted Board of Governors.
Venu Srinivasan, Chairman TVS Motor Co. and Managing Director, Sundaram Clayton Ltd. is the new Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) now reconstituted. Venu Srinivasan was the President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) during 2009-10 and is also a recipient of the Padma Shri Award.
The other new members are N.K. Singh, Deepa Das Munsi, Kumari Saroj Pandey, Director General, NIFT, Financial Adviser, M/o Textiles, Joint Secretary, M/o Textiles, Joint Secretary, M/o HRD, A. Sakthivel, Sanjay Jayavardhanevelu, Prashant Agarwal, Premal Udani, M. Ramaswamy, Rajshree Pathy and Dilip B. Jiwrajka.
NIFT being a statutory body formed in pursuance of the NIFT Act, 2006, approval for the appointment of Chairman and a few members of the Board of Governors is accorded by Pratibha Patil, President of India in her capacity as the Visitor of the Institute. Accordingly, the names proposed by Dayanidhi Maran, Hon’ble Minister of Textiles have been approved by Patil.
NIFT has centres at New Delhi, Kangra, Raibarelly, Gandhinagar, Bhopal, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kannur, Patna and Shillong. New NIFT centres are coming up at Coimbatore, Jodhpur, Bhubaneswar and Srinagar. The institute caters to 8400 students.


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Windows 8 has been designed for tablets more than for PCs, but a recent statement by Steve Ballmer suggests that it may have a high price tag, and that could spell trouble for Microsoft's attempt to gain market share.
In a recent interview with the Seattle Times, he was asked, "With the Surface, are you planning to compete with the iPad on price or on features?" After saying Microsoft hasn't announced pricing, he said this:
"I think most people would tell you that the iPad is not a superexpensive device. ... (When) people offer cheaper, they do less. They look less good, they're chintzier, they're cheaper.
"If you say to somebody, would you use one of the 7-inch tablets, would somebody ever use a Kindle (Kindle Fire, $199) to do their homework? The answer is no; you never would. It's just not a good enough product. It doesn't mean you might not read a book on it....
"If you look at the bulk of the PC market, it would run between, say, probably $300 to about $700 or $800. That's the sweet spot."
It seems clear that he's expecting to price Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets in the same general range, or starting slightly lower, than the iPad. The latest iPads start at $499, and the the most expensive is up at $829.
It's equally clear that he's not planning to compete with 7-inch tablets like the Kindle Fire HD and Google Nexus 7, which sell in the $200 range.
Windows RT tablets in particular need to sell at bargain basement prices if they're going to succeed. After the Kindle Fire HD annoucement, Shaw Wu, an analyst with Sterne Agee, had this to say, according to GeekWire.
"We believe the pressure for MSFT to price its Surface tablet aggressively is now greater than ever. Initial press reports indicated a price point of $599, a premium to the new iPad, but we now believe it will likely need to price at $299 or lower to give it a fighting chance."
Peter Misek of Jefferies & Co. believes that because of Amazon pricing, it may be impossible for Windows 8 tablets to succeed. According to Market Watch, he said:
"It will become exceedingly difficult for others to enter the tablet market...We see very little chance that Dell and HP can successfully attack the consumer market with Windows 8 tablets."
There's already evidence that Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets are going to priced at the high end of Ballmer's estimate. ZDNet says that it got hold of Asus's pricing of Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets for the holiday season, and that the starting price for an RT tablet is $599, for a Windows 8 tablet is $799, and a hybrid tablet/notebook is $1,299.
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The Food and Drug Administration is punishing numerous companies that make and distribute kratom, a supplement with psychedelic and pain-relieving qualities that's been linked to a recent salmonella break out.
In a letter released on Tuesday, FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb contacted three business in different states to stop selling unapproved kratom products with unverified health claims. In a declaration, Gottlieb stated the companies were engaged in "health fraud rip-offs" that " posture severe health threats."
Stemmed from a plant native to Southeast Asia, kratom is frequently sold as tablets, powder, or tea in the United States. Supporters state it assists curb the symptoms of opioid withdrawal, which has actually led people to flock to kratom over the last few years as a method of stepping down from more powerful drugs like Vicodin.
But due to the fact that kratom is classified as a supplement and has not been developed as a drug, it's exempt to much federal guideline. That suggests tainted kratom tablets and powders can easily make their method to keep racks-- which appears to have happened in a recent break out of salmonella that has up until now sickened more than 130 people throughout multiple states.
Extravagant claims and little clinical research
The FDA's current crackdown seems the most recent action in a growing divide in between advocates and regulative companies regarding using kratom The business the company has actually named are Front Range Kratom of Aurora, Colorado; Kratom Spot of Irvine, California and Revibe, Inc., of Kansas City, Missouri.
The claims these 3 business have made include marketing the supplement as "very effective against cancer" and suggesting that their items might help in reducing the signs of opioid dependency.
However there are few existing clinical research studies to back up those claims. Research on kratom has actually discovered, however, that the drug take advantage of some of the exact same brain receptors as opioids do. That spurred the FDA to categorize it as an opioid in February.
Specialists say that because of this, it makes sense that people with opioid usage disorder are relying on find this kratom as a way of abating their signs and stepping down from more powerful drugs like Vicodin.
But taking any supplement that hasn't been checked for safety by medical specialists can be harmful.
The threats of taking kratom.
Previous FDA testing discovered that numerous products dispersed by Revibe-- among the 3 business named in the FDA letter-- were tainted with salmonella. Last month, as part of a request from the company, Revibe destroyed numerous tainted products check that still at its facility, but the company has yet to validate that it recalled products that had already shipped to shops.
Last month, the FDA issued its first-ever compulsory recall of kratom products after those produced by Las Vegas-based Triangle Pharmanaturals were found to be infected with salmonella.
As of April 5, a total of 132 individuals across 38 states had actually been sickened with the germs, which can trigger diarrhea and abdominal pain lasting up to a week.
Besides handling the threat that kratom items could carry harmful bacteria, important source those who take the supplement have no dependable way to figure out the proper dosage. It's likewise challenging to discover a validate kratom supplement's complete component list or represent possibly damaging interactions with other drugs or medications.
Kratom is presently banned in Australia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and a number of US states (Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee, and Wisconsin). Throughout the United States, numerous reports of deaths and dependency led the Drug Enforcement Administration to position kratom on its list of "drugs and chemicals of issue." In 2016, the DEA proposed a restriction on kratom however backtracked under pressure from some members of Congress and an protest from kratom supporters.


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by Stephen Dafoe
With the Canadian Federation of Independent Business noting fewer customers and reduced spending at their member’s businesses, they continue to push their #SmallBusinessEveryDay campaign to encourage Canadians to practice local shopping.
The business group’s latest survey shows a drop in traffic and per customer transactions is holding back the economic recovery of Alberta small business. As of Thursday, only 23 per cent of surveyed members say sales are back to pre-COVID-19 levels despite 67 per cent of Alberta businesses being fully opened and 39 per cent being fully staffed.
“We’re hoping that as people get back to fall routines businesses will get a much-needed revenue boost. Consumers are critical to small businesses and their financial and emotional support means more now than ever,” said CFIB Executive Vice-President Laura Jones. Online sales, interrupted supply chains and shipping affected 23 per cent of members. Staff availability affected just over one in 10 businesses.
CFIB says it will ramp up its #SmallBusinessEveryDay campaign this fall, offering weekly challenges on the road to Small Business Saturday in October.
Over the Labour Day weekend, they are encouraging people to use the #CanadaUnited hashtag to promote their favourite business on Twitter or like or share the Canada United video online. For each like, share or hashtag use RBC will contribute 5 cents to a fund that will grant businesses up to $5,000 to help with recovery.
“This week’s challenge to help small business doesn’t cost anything but time. Extra credit is always an option and with so many restaurants at risk of permanent closure, we are suggesting an extra effort on the long weekend to indulge in some restaurant therapy,” Jones said.


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Almost half of us have been increasing our intake of beans, pulses, and legumes over the last two years, according to new research from Heinz. It comes as a similar proportion of 16–42-year-olds now choose to follow plant-based or ‘flexitarian’ diets.
Dr Hazel Wallace, nutritionist and former NHS doctor, Founder of The Food Medic, said:
“I think many people overlook beans as a good source of plant-based protein with 10g of protein per half a can. Not only that but beans are a good source of fibre, a nutrient that most of us here in the UK simply don’t get enough of. It’s promising to hear that more and more people are increasing their intake of intake of beans, pulses, and legumes.”
Caio Fontenele, Heinz New Ventures Director, said: “At Heinz we've been harnessing the power of the bean for over 100 years and have now created new ranges that help people to reimagine the way they eat their favourite baked beans or hero the versatility of beans with our Beanz Bowls”.
Alessandra de Dreuille, Meals and Insight Director, added: “Our new ranges act as a source of protein and introduces new beans to Heinz shoppers including our Kids Beanz Burgers filled with butter beans, or our Smoky Chilli ready meals filled with pinto beans and kidney beans."
The range currently includes three new flavours of baked beans (Jalfrezi, Tikka and Vindaloo), frozen Heinz Beanz Bowlz and Heinz Kids Beanz Nuggetz and Burgerz.


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A Centennial man on Wednesday was awarded $7.27 million in damages from a federal jury in Denver, which decided his lung disease was caused by the chemicals in microwave popcorn and that the manufacturer should have warned him.
Wayne Watson is the first consumer to win an award against Gilster-Mary Lee Corp., a private label food manufacturer based in Chester, Ill., according to his attorneys from Humphrey, Farrington & McClain in Independence, Mo.
Kroger Co and Dillon Cos. Inc., which does business as King Soopers Inc., also were defendants in the federal lawsuit.
Watson was diagnosed with bronchiolitis obliterans, or popcorn lung, in 2007 after he ate two to three bags of microwave popcorn daily for years. The disease first was recognized in workers at a popcorn factory.
He was diagnosed by Dr. Cecile Rose of National Jewish Hospital in Denver.
“The National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOSH) confirmed [it] was caused by exposure to artificial butter flavor chemicals,” according to a release from the law firm. “The NIOSH scientists concluded that the chemical diacetyl was the agent, which was causing lung diseases among the workers.”
King Soopers’ lawyers had argued, unsuccessfully, the damage to Watson’s lungs was caused by the years he spent working around dangerous chemicals while cleaning carpets, according to a report by CBS4 News.
“What happened here was an avoidable tragedy,” Kenneth McClain said in a release. “Gilster-Mary Lee knew its own employees in the quality control room were getting sick from popping corn. It was not a long leap to recognize that consumers were also at risk.”
The jury awarded $2.267 million in actual damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
“The punitive award is very significant,” McClain said in the release. “Gilster-Mary Lee is the largest private label popcorn manufacturer in the country and the evidence was that they purposely did not warn consumers about the risk of microwave popcorn.”


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WEST DES MOINES, Iowa -- Kum & Go store number 89 in Fort Dodge, Iowa has not only been lucky for consumers, it has shared some luck with its store manager as well. Pat Fellers, the general manager, got a taste of luck with a new car, the prize for a company-wide inside sales promotion.
Fellers is one of 12 employees to win a 2006 Chevy HHR from the promotion. She was randomly selected out of 779 entries during a drawing held at a managers' awards luncheon near the company's headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa.
This prize has come just three days after the store graced a customer with a Powerball ticket worth $200.8 million, the largest jackpot ever won in the state of Iowa. The store received $10,000 for the sale of the winning ticket, which will be donated to Fort Dodge and St. Edmunds high schools to use as 10 $1,000 scholarships.
The luck doesn't end there, however. One year ago, a regular customer at store number 89 beat out 1.5 million others and won a tanker-worth of gas -- valued at more than $24,000 -- as part of a give-away promotion. Customers could register to win at more than 400 stores across the nation.
"I cannot even begin to explain or try to understand the tremendous fortune we've had the past year," Fellers said. "I try to work very hard and give back to Kum & Go just a part of what I've been given in personal growth, and to be associated with a company such as this, I am very humbled."
Kum & Go began in 1959 in Hampton, Iowa, and has grown to more than 445 convenience stores in 13 states. It employs more than 3,800 associates and returns 10 percent of its profits to the communities it which serves. Kum & Go co-founder W.A. Krause was inducted into the CSNews Hall of Fame last week. That story can be accessed by clicking here.


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What do you do with your worn-out clothes?
I’m pretty sure it’s either thrown in the trash or donated.
But it ultimately goes to the landfills!
Why can’t a defect become an effect?
The fashion industry is quite known for its massive waste problem; this big business is of the largest polluters globally. According to sources, nearly 3/5 of all clothing ends up in landfills within a year of being produced.
With the pandemic, the issue of fashion waste is getting worsen day by day. The thrift industry is overwhelmed with the first-time surge in donations as a result of a “quarantine cleanout frenzy” due to the stay-at-home time during the lockdown period. Everybody has cleaned their wardrobe, and the number of clothes considered as discard is uncountable. Also, one more reason adds up that people have gained weight sitting at home and this might even lead to the discarding of clothes as they do not fit anymore. Here comes the cause of fabric pollution, because people discard them in the wrong way.
Fashion is something which is dynamic and the trend is going on when something comes to the market and becomes popular, right!!!!
So, when something is old you have to wear out and brand them into new pieces to make an aesthetic appeal.
If you want to know how upcycling works, you can refer to this article.


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|Monday, March 3, 2014|
Daily Local News
LifestylesSamurai collection spawns museum, touring exhibit
DALLAS — Gabriel Barbier-Mueller bought his first samurai armor about 20 years ago from an antiques dealer in Paris, sparking a fascination that helped him create one of the most significant private collections in the world related to the Japanese warriors.
Right at Home: bright ideas for outdoor furniture
Earthy hues that blend into the landscape tend to dominate the outdoor furniture market. Understated woods, metals and cushions are easy-to-incorporate neutral elements.
National drop in obese toddlers, study suggests
ATLANTA — Toddler obesity shrank sharply in the past decade, a new study suggests. While promising, it's not proof that the nation has turned a corner in the battle against childhood obesity, some experts say.
Letters to Editor


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Survey: farmers are concerned about supply chain disruptions, input costs
Farmers are less optimistic about current conditions in the agriculture industry, according to the latest Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer.
Jim Mintert is the director of the Purdue Center for Commercial Agriculture.
“Producers are telling us that 2022 looks like it’s going to be a much lower income year than 2021 and that’s despite the fact that we’re looking at some pretty high commodity prices,” he says. “So, people are concerned about the rise in the costs of inputs especially on the crop side, but across the board.”
Nearly 60 percent of farmers surveyed expect farm input prices to rise by 20 percent or more in 2022. Thirty four percent of producers said they expect prices to rise by 30 percent or more.
Mintert says farmers are also concerned about availability of inputs. About 30 percent of producers surveyed expressed difficulty accessing at least one crop input.
“It was pretty much across the board with people having trouble obtaining herbicides, insecticides, fertilizer, or farm machinery parts,” he says. “The whole supply chain snafu continues and it’s not just one or two things…All of that, in addition to the difficulty and the price aspect, has created a tremendous amount of uncertainty and that has led to this weakness in farmer sentiment. I think people in agirulcutre are acclimated to the idea that prices for crops and livestock can be relatively volatile, but we’re not used to seeing this level of volatility in input prices and we’re particularly not used to seeing a challenge with respect to buying the inputs that we really want. That uncertainty is causing farmer sentiment to be weaker than you would otherwise expect coming off a relatively high income year.”
The overall Ag Economy Barometer declined six points to 119. The index of Current Conditions fell 13 points to 133 and the Index of Future Expectations held steady around 112.
The monthly national survey of 400 agricultural producers was conducted Jan. 17-21.
Audio: Jim Mintert


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Watch video: Apple's biggest launch for 2017 will neither be the iPhone nor the MacBook, instead, it will be its campus, the Apple Park.
Apple’s biggest launch for 2017 will neither be the iPhone nor the MacBook, instead, it will be its campus, the Apple Park. A drone flyby video has showcased the footage the new facility can be seen to be under-development inching towards the grand opening to Apple employees in April this year. The new 175-acre campus is reportedly worth $ 5 billion. The video has been shot by photographer and drone pilot Mathew Roberts, and it provides a view of the solar panels on the roof of the 2.8 million-square-foot main building. The building is situated in Cupertino, California.
The main campus resembles a spaceship, and even the former CEO Steve Jobs was involved in the project. The date of opening has not been revealed yet. It is expected that the building will contain the Apple Store itself as well as a visitor centre. It will be difficult to Even the Tantau Avenue parking garage is almost filled. Many of the peripheral buildings were being made and the Steve Jobs Theatre’s glass walls almost completely covered to hide the internal work. Jobs’ last work, appears to be a fitting tribute because of the futuristic appeal and amazing attention to detail. After all, making a building as flawless as a hand-held device is not that easy.
Appleinsider.com reported on Friday, “As with the earlier videos, the research and development facility seems to be complete internally, with chairs and desks visible through the glass windows, and with external work to the building seemingly completed as well,” appleinsider.com reported on Friday.”
According to a report, some staircases have been constructed at the base of the building, bringing visitors up from the road up to the same level as the landscaping just outside its doors.
“The main building, parking structure, theatre and fitness centre [are] under construction. Occupancy for the main building will begin in April and phased to end of 2017. Phase 2 and ancillary building expected to be completed by 2018,” read a progress report delivered to the Cupertino City Council in March.
Other things are far from completion, like the recently announced, ‘Steve Jobs Theater’ but that is expected to launch later in 2017. Meanwhile, the main building needs to be completed soon if the company wants to announce it in March.
You may also like to watch:
According to reports, once the new building is unveiled, the campus will house up to 14,200 employees. The details have been mentioned in the 2013 project description. The main building will feature the world’s largest piece of curved glass and it will be surrounded by thousands of trees.
(with agency inputs)


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Some exciting twists on legendary York confectionery brands have been unveiled by Nestle.
New takes on KitKats, Aero and Rowntree’s are coming to our shelves.
There are new flavours – including biscoff and strawberry and yoghurt – and new styles, notably the first Aero buttons. Nestle say these products are ‘launching soon’…
With a smooth and chocolatey centre, crunchy wafer pieces and a milk chocolate shell, KitKat Bites are the latest way to enjoy a break. Milk chocolate KitKat Bites will be available in 90g sharing bags (£1.59) from Tesco and Booker stores from the beginning of February, and in supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide from April. Chocolate Caramel KitKat Bites (90g sharing bag £1.59) will also launch in February, exclusive to Tesco and Booker.
KitKat Chunky Lotus Biscoff
The KitKat Chunky Lotus Biscoff Giant Egg (274.5g) offers KitKat fans their first chance to try the hotly anticipated KitKat Chunky Lotus Biscoff, which will be coming to the UK market later this year. The newest Chunky flavour features the brand’s crispy wafer topped with a Lotus Biscoff filling, all covered with milk chocolate.
KitKat Orange and White
The KitKat 2 Finger White coated in white chocolate is another alternative treat to enjoy. Available now in multipacks of nine two-finger bars. And the new KitKat 4 Finger Orange is a zesty treat, costing 70p.
Aero Melts are being made at the York Nestle factory, which also produces Aero Bubbles and Aero Milk, Peppermint and Caramel sharing bars, alongside KitKat, Milkybar, Yorkie and Polo. A brand new innovation, Aero Melts are buttons of light and bubbly chocolate that melt in the mouth for a moment of chocolatey indulgence.
Available in supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide from the beginning of February, Randoms Squidgy Swirls are a tongue-tantalising assortment of fruit and yoghurt-flavour jellies in three delicious varieties: blackcurrant and yoghurt, strawberry and yoghurt and apple and yoghurt.


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The Swedish cider maker has infused its first gin with the same strawberry and lime flavours as its cider.
Kopparberg Premium Gin is a 37.5 per cent ABV pink gin, aimed at the booming gin market - a sector that has seen sales double in the last year, according to the company.
The gin is double distilled over two weeks and infused with juniper, lemon zest and coriander as well as strawberry and lime flavours.
It is being launched exclusively into Greene King pubs now before a roll out next month (June).
Suggested serves include with lemonade and garnished with slices of fresh strawberry & lime, and with tonic for a more traditional experience, garnished with cucumber & basil.
Rob Salvesen, head of marketing at Kopparberg UK said: "We've made it our mission to use our drinks knowledge and flavour expertise to bring the spirit of Kopparberg to life.
"Not many know that we brew and distill many other drinks in our brewery in Sweden and with over 10 years' experience in distilling gin, as well as our success as flavour leaders here in the UK and around the world, it was an obvious decision for us to introduce Kopparberg Premium Gin in one of our most iconic flavours.


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E-mail Continues to be Vital Merchandising Tool
Results of the Chicago-based the e-tailing group inc.’s 6th Annual Merchant Survey found that e-mail continues to play an important role as a tactic for online retailers because it is cost-effective and can be used for targeted initiatives. This year, 95 percent of respondents ranked e-mail as very to somewhat valuable as a merchandising vehicle compared to 91 percent last year.
When asked about the top uses of e-mail as a merchandising tool, 86 percent said they use it to drive incremental revenue and 80 percent said it was good for increasing purchasing frequency.
Here are other top applications of e-mail as a merchandising function:
* Company’s own branding: 83 percent in 2007; 88 percent in 2006
* Sales and specials: 86 percent in 2007; 84 percent in 2006
* Seasonal message: 81 percent in 2007; 81 percent in 2006
* New product introduction: 80 percent in 2007; 83 percent in 2006
* Full price products: 62 percent in 2007; 73 percent in 2006.
For more information, go to www.e-tailing.com .


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There were 134 stories of e-cigarette batteries overheating, catching hearth, or exploding between 2009 and January 2016, according to Michael Felberbaum, an FDA spokesperson. The new rules will enable FDA to evaluate the protection of batteries and finally take motion to guard the public. That determine is controversial and could be slightly high, says Kenneth Warner, a tobacco policy researcher at the University of Michigan. But, he adds, “The worst critics of e-cigarettes would probably argue they seem to be a half to 2-thirds less dangerous. But from a sensible view, they’re most likely on the order of 80% to eighty five% much less dangerous, at least.” Scientists suppose the chemical compounds often present in e-juice may cause other critical lung issues. A chemical known as acrolein, for instance, is mainly used to kill weeds.
Meanwhile, a examine from the University of North Carolina discovered similar outcomes indicating that the 2 primary elements present in e-cigarettes are poisonous to cells. They additionally reported that the more components in an e-liquid, the larger the toxicity. There are a number of different surprising risk components related to vaping. Here is an overview of the potential issues that end result from vaping. Generally talking, vaping entails inhaling a vaporized liquid from an electronic device; and very similar to conventional cigarettes, it accommodates nicotine.
Cancer Prevention Tools
The distinction is that whereas the liquid or vapor is heated, it does not burn like a traditional cigarette. Producers of Juul launched changes that enhanced the palatability and safety of vaping, however on the same time “made it easier for kids to begin utilizing nicotine,” Dr. Wagener mentioned. Instead of freebase nicotine that may be very harsh to inhale, Juul contains a nicotine salt, “a very palatable form of nicotine that makes inhaling high doses of nicotine straightforward,” he explained. And Juul doesn’t require the excessive temperatures that produce toxic substances like formaldehyde. A single pod contains the nicotine equal of a pack of conventional cigarettes.
Vaping Units Can Blow Up
Even with out nicotine, these flavorings can cause DNA damage or kill cells that line your blood vessels. One examine showed that cinnamon and menthol flavors were particularly dangerous. Young folks could also be drawn to vaping by candy, candy-like flavors and smells. To help cease this, a number of U.S. states have banned the sale of flavored vaping liquid. It’s when you use a handheld tube, or tank, hooked up to a mouthpiece that makes a vapor you inhale. There are differing kinds, such as vape pens, e-cigarettes, e-hookahs, and mods. But all of them warmth liquid chemicals (“e-juice”) into a mist you breathe in like a cigarette or pipe.
In 2016, ads for e-cigarettes reached nearly 4 in 5 middle and highschool students within the United States, Dr. Ellen S. Rome famous. By 2019, a quarter of twelfth graders have been vaping nicotine, nearly half of them daily.
The Food and Drug Administration is the organization that makes positive medicine are protected and efficient. This known as “regulating.” The FDA is supposed to control e-juices and vaping gadgets, however they haven’t began but.
If you’re a smoker and are considering vaping as a way to kick the habit, speak to your doctor first about one of the simplest ways to give up smoking for Element Vape Discount Code good. There are a variety of drugs, aids, and counseling options to help you in your determination. Or, you’ll be able to call QUIT-NOW for ideas on confirmed methods to quit smoking.
- You could submit reports about any tobacco product, together with cigarettes, roll-your-own cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, digital cigarettes and waterpipe tobacco.
- You also can report problems with the components and elements of tobacco products.
- Vapes, vaporizers, vape pens, hookah pens, digital cigarettes (e-cigarettes or e-cigs), and e-pipes are a number of the many terms used to describe digital nicotine delivery techniques .
- The FDA website has extra data on what to incorporate in a report.
It could cause sudden lung harm and set off severe respiratory sicknesses like COPD and lung most cancers. Nicotine boosts plaque buildup in your arteries, which makes it more durable for blood to reach your very important organs. Smoking marijuana raises your coronary heart rate, which makes your ticker work tougher. Just being round people who are vaping is a threat because you’ll be able to breathe in the vapor.
found that some individuals had skilled the illness as early as March. By late fall 2019, new reported cases started significantly dropping, whilst more medical doctors had been now aware of the problem. In the last week of December, solely 29 circumstances had been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—a sharp drop off from the over 200 instances reported in a week during September. All informed, as of February 2020, no less than 2,807 persons are known to have had this vaping-related lung sickness, and sixty eight individuals died. Get the latest information and analyses on an important points related to smoking, vaping, nicotine and substance use.


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OnePlus is working on a foldable device, most probably a smartphone, CEO Pete Lau has teased via a Twitter post where he showed the metal hinge of the body of the device. The OnePlus CEO shared two images with his post, and going by them, we can assume that the foldable device won’t have a clamshell design and might open up like a small notebook does.
The rumours about OnePlus working on a foldable device have been there for quite some time and the CEO’s post has just confirmed it. Now, foldable phones, ever since they arrived for the first time in the market, have been brought as premium products which the budget conscious user will shy away from. Initially, Samsung and Huawei emerged as the leaders with their foldable products and soon other brands like Xiaomi, Honor, Microsoft and Oppo also launched their foldable devices. However, only Samsung’s foldable smartphones are for the mainstream market. Others have limited availability.
OnePlus could actually change the game by bringing in an ‘affordable’ foldable flagship device, something the likes of which is missing from the current foldable device market. It is a high possibility. The company can build on what Oppo has done with the Find N and its pricing strategy could land it profits with its foldable device. Now that the CEO has teased about the device himself, we expect to see more of the design and detail about the foldable device soon.Samsung and Xiaomi’s new foldable phone
Samsung recently launched two new foldable phones in the market–the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip4. The Galaxy Z Fold 4 features a 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X cover display with a 2316 x 904 pixels resolution and adaptive refresh rates of 48Hz and 120Hz. When you unfold the device, there’s a 7.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display with a 120Hz refresh rate with Adaptive refresh rate support between 1Hz and 120Hz. Under the hood, the smartphone comes with Qualcomm’s latest chipset -- Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 paired with 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and up to 1TB storage.
Just like the Galaxy Z Fold 4, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is also powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset. The device features a 1.9-inch cover display which is a Super AMOLED panel. The handset unfolds to reveal the 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Infinity Flex Display with 2640 x 1080 pixels resolution and 22:9 display. It’s a 120Hz refresh rate panel and supports an adaptive refresh rate that enables the smartphone to automatically adjust the refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz based on the content being viewed. The display has 900 nits of peak brightness.
Xiaomi recently launched Mi Mix Fold 2. This second foldable phone from the company after Mi Mix Fold that launched in 2021. Mi Mix Fold didn’t get a global launch and is limited to the company’s home market, China. It remains to be seen if the company will follow the same strategy for Mi Mix Fold 2 or not.


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Potash Corp. earnings tumble as prices drop
Potash Corp. says its third-quarter net earnings dropped 45 per cent to $356 million from $645 million in the same period last year as a result of weaker prices and lower potash sales volumes.
The Saskatoon-based company says offshore investments in Jordan, Chile and Israel contributed $85 million to earnings for the quarter.
But PotashCorp says while the need for crop nutrition fuelled strong demand in the first half of 2013, a change in strategy by Uralkali in July stalled global demand.
Key markets — particularly large buyers in China and India — delayed purchases or were reluctant to accept major shipments against existing contracts.
As a result, shipments from North American producers fell to one of the lowest third-quarter totals in recent history.
Price of potash drops
PotashCorp says buyer caution and competitive pressures resulted in a price of $307 per tonne in the quarter, down from $429 in the same period last year.
As a result, says the company, it has revised its 2013 potash gross margin forecast range to $1.5-$1.7 billion on expected shipments of 8 million and 8.4 million tonnes.
"The most recent quarter can best be characterized as a predictable response to an unpredicted event," said PotashCorp president and CEO Bill Doyle.
"As we have seen in the past, fertilizer customers faced with uncertainty act with extreme caution. While this volatility does not change the long-term underlying fundamentals of fertilizer demand, it did significantly slow market activity and our ability to deliver the results we expected."


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NEW DELHI: The trend of shopping online in India is gradually shifting from low-cost products like apparels and cosmetics to big-ticket items such as homes, and developers are leaving no stone unturned to tap this opportunity. Experts say while it is still in an experimental phase, if successful, companies can cut their marketing cost by up to half by going digital.
Nine in 10 home buyers today rely on the Internet as one of their primary research sources, said David Walker, managing director of SARE Homes. “Real-estate professionals know that their customers are uber-connected and informed. With increasing Internet usage, making a website that is friendly to smartphone or tablets users has now become a critical part of our website management.”
Tata Housing Development Company is another developer betting on the online medium. The company has partnered with Google's Great Online Shopping Festival (GOSF), being held from December 10-12, to sell an exclusive ultra-luxury project – The Cascades in Bangalore. Besides this, the company will also sell housing units of seven other projects across India. “Online home buying is an emerging platform and this year we are offering our consumers properties ranging from affordable to the ultra-luxury segment. We are focusing on creating newer and innovative ways to reach out to this new segment of online consumers,” said Brotin Banerjee, MD & CEO, Tata Housing Development Company. This August, the company partnered with Snapdeal.com to sell homes. Tata Value Homes, a fully owned subsidiary of Tata Housing, recently launched the world’s first ecommerce platform for home buying, allowing global access to its properties in India.
According to Amit Oberoi, national director for valuation & advisory services at real-estate services firm Colliers International, the online medium is a powerful client-acquisition tool for developers and brokerage houses. “Online marketing not only allows them the reach, but also enables them to target their specific consumer segment,” Oberoi said.
Emaar MGF Land, another developer which is aggressive in the digital space, has recently tied up with PayUMoney to offer customers an option to pay EMIs for its properties online. The company sees online as an information dissemination medium, widely used by customers to shortlist a set of projects. “Currently, we do not sell homes online, but as and when we start to offer online sales, we expect NRI customers to be the first movers towards online purchase of homes,” said Ashish Jerath, Emaar MGF Land’s vice president for sales.
So, what is it that makes the digital medium stand apart from conventional modes of marketing?
“Online marketing saves substantial costs for developers as compared with the conventional method of putting an ad in a newspaper or hoardings, and also has a larger reach,” said AS Sivaramakrishnan, head of residential services at real-estate services firm CBRE. Also, as the age band of people buying homes grows younger to 28-40 years from above 40 few years ago, the impact of online medium increases manifold, he said.
Anuj Puri, chairman and country head of property consultancy firm JLL India, believes developers can bring down their marketing expense considerably by using digital platforms. “The digital medium is being used only for experimental purposes in India and it will not be able to replace the conventional modes of marketing and sales at least in the near future. However, if the experiments are successful and developers are able to sell about half of their inventory through the digital platform, the cost of acquisition can certainly go down by up to 50%,” Puri said.
But is it possible to compel people through these marketing initiatives to put the savings of their lifetime at stake and buy homes online?
“Selling homes can’t be like apparels and cosmetics sold online. Developers can’t trigger sales by offering discounts,” said Sivaramakrishnan of CBRE. “However, online marketing can induce buyers to visit the site and thus increase the recall value.”
Around 25-30% of residential sales is being induced by the online medium now, and it is set to go to 35-40% in the next one year, he said.
According to Oberoi of Colliers International, online portals are yet to bridge that trust deficit between the developer and the consumer. “Buyers’ decision still relies on references of their trusted brokers, friends and colleagues for project and developers’ track record and reputation.”
It will be too early to declare online sales as a game-changer and an established sales platform as far as real estate is concerned, said Prashant Tiwari, chairman of Prateek Group and vice president of the of Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India for the NCR and Western UP Division. “We are observing the shape that the ongoing trend is taking. If the trend shapes up in the desired manner, it will make it imperative for all to establish presence in the online space. So, sooner the better.”
Another company which is in the process of finding online partners for tie-ups is ABA Corp. Director Amit Modi said while the online approach is still very much at the nascent stage for hardcore real-estate selling, it is definitely the future. “We have been evaluating the online model and are in the process of talking to suitable ecommerce partners for tie-ups. This will definitely provide the added dimension of reaching out to a wider audience and will be the quick and easy method to promote our projects,” Modi said.
“The basic fundamental remains the same: homes are bought and not sold,” said Sivaramakrishnan of CBRE.
The authority had invited proposals for allotment of industrial land plots of size bigger than 4,000 sq metres for which applications were closed in February this year and results were announced on Wednesday.
Amrit Abhijat, joint secretary and mission director, Housing for All, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), says, “The government is most likely to consider the extension of the CLSS benefit further as we have put in a requests based on our assessment from bankers and a large number beneficiaries which get benefit under the scheme.”


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Twice in the recent past I have written about the pricing strategy of J.C. Penney and its attempt to shirk the 'pricing for idiots' strategy. First, I wrote about how a new CEO, Ron Johnson, chucked the old strategy of deceptive sales pricing and moved toward a model of 'true value' pricing. Shortly thereafter, I wrote that Johnson was fired because this strategy failed to appeal to the catatonic masses who insist on being deceived with deceptive pricing strategies. Not that any of that was surprising.
In my first post, I even noted that Kohl's had the worst deceptive pricing practice on the planet. Back in 2010, a lawsuit was brought against Kohl's for its price promotions, or "false advertising," on the part of an ignorant shopper who apparently saw an opportunity to cash in on his ignorance. This blockhead blamed Kohl's for his excessive purchases.
In the ongoing case in California, Antonio S. Hinojos of West Covina claims that those types of purported savings led him to buy more than $500 worth of luggage, shirts and shorts at a Kohl's Department Store in suburban Los Angeles in May 2010. In fact, Hinojos alleged, the prices of the items had not been reduced as much as Kohl's had advertised.
The case was dismissed in 2010 by a U.S. District Court. Last month, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decision, which will allow the wayward spender and his lawyers an opportunity to pursue a class-action claim.
“Price advertisements matter,” Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote for a three-judge panel. “When a consumer purchases merchandise on the basis of false price information and when the consumer alleges that he would not have made the purchase but for the misrepresentation, he has standing to sue.”
Shoppers chasing deceiving markdowns is, in part, due to the fact that the cheap-and-easy credit era helped to fuel this ignorance because the abuse of credit has been justified by folks who believe that there is an upside to all the debt: they are buying value because goods appear to be listed at bargain prices. In reality, they are overpaying for products and getting sucked into buying things they didn’t plan on buying, and the end result is more stuff, more debt, and a skewed perception of value. Thus the retail marketing folks adjust to the current political-monetary environment and market to the perception of the times.
If consumers perceive they have wealth (debt + stuff = wealth in the bubble era) and that markdowns are bargains, they will spend in order to increase their perceived wealth. Additionally, inflation and artificially low interest rates increase time preferences, thereby feeding the modern culture of instant gratification. Marketing folks are only doing what they have to do to survive in an era of government intervention leading to bubbles, booms, busts, and malinvestments.
Appellate Judge Stephen Reinhardt, who wrote the opinion reversing the decision, stated that a product's "normal price is significant in the same way a false product label would be."
But what exactly is a "normal price," and how is it the same as a false product label, which is akin to fraud? Who can determine what any price should be for any product, knowing that price is subjective to the individual engaging the transaction? There is no objective unit of measurement because prices of goods are subjective to each individual based on his assessment of goods, the value of those goods, and his subjective taste. The fact that the establishment recognizes "normal prices" points to the belief that goods in the marketplace have a value that can be objectively defined and applied to each individual by authoritative measures.
Kohl's pricing strategy is inane, and the catatonic masses will bite on it. But the strategy aligns with the current times and perceptions, and no one can blame a for-profit business for pursuing profits based on its leaders' knowledge of the best way to conduct business within the current economic environment. But inane is not criminal, and the scheme can easily be ignored and rejected by savvy consumers whose subjective valuation tells them that a $30 rug marked up to $60 with a "half off" price tag is no markdown. But then again, the buyers of that $30 rug have determined that the rug is more valuable to them than the $30. So where is the "normal," and where is the crime?
If there's a crime of perception, the crime is committed by the government-bankster-financial-industrial complex that has defrauded consumers, investors, and entrepreneurs with its sleazy monetary policy and corrupt financial system.


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Subam Digital buys AccurioShine
Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu-based Subam Digital Press has recently invested in a Konica Minolta AccurioShine 3600.
24 Nov 2023 | By Charmiane Alexander
The company, which specialises in pre-press, press (including offset and digital production engines), and post-press services, said Konica Minolta provides best-in-class colour reproduction, reliability and consistency.
Palani. managing director, Subam Digital Press, said, “Konica Minolta is best suited for bringing new innovations to the digital print industry. The competition and the demand for new products from print buyers have motivated us to invest in this equipment. We believe this investment will be the feather in our cap, boosting our existing business and attracting many new customers with its premium offerings.”
Besides the Accurio Shine 3600, the company has three Konica Minolta engines and one Xerox PP engine at its production site and branches, along with all the modern finishing equipment, including high-end laminators and die-cutters.
Palani said under one roof, all works are done with quality, speed, and accuracy, as per customer requirements. “We provide the best quality work at a reasonable price,” he added.
Currently, the company’s total print volume is 100,000 prints per day and the volume is growing. With the new investment, Subam has started printing 400 to 600 sheets of print embellishment per day.
Palani said, the print market is growing at a good pace and all its branches are constantly growing. “We believe, the adoption of new technologies and innovations is the key mantra for the development. Konica Minolta has helped us in upgrading our existing setup with the latest technologies, such as Konica Minolta AS3600,” he said.
He added, “The market for short-run volumes for the embellishment is on the rise, and we want to be a pioneer in our market to cater to these embellishment demands.”


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Qualcomm Inc.’s lucrative patent licensing business lives on, after a court rejected a requirement that the company renegotiate billions of dollars worth of agreements with smartphone makers.
The chipmaker won a major victory Tuesday in a federal appeals court, which ruled that a judge was wrong to side with the Federal Trade Commission in 2019 in finding that Qualcomm had violated antitrust law. The appeals court also vacated an order that the company redo licensing accords with smartphone makers like Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Such licenses generated $4.6 billion in revenue for Qualcomm last year.
Qualcomm climbed 2.3% on the news to close at $108.83 in New York trading.
“The court’s ruling is disappointing and we will be considering our options,” FTC Bureau of Competition Director Ian Conner said in a statement.
The case won’t return to the trial judge, but the FTC can ask that it be


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Envestnet | Yodlee has launched its new “Risk Insight” solution – which will provide lenders with a more holistic view of consumer bank account and spending activity.
Envestnet | Yodlee is a data aggregation and analytics platform which caters to digital financial services providers. Over 950 companies – including 12 of the 20 largest US banks – subscribe to the platform. Yodlee was acquired by Envestnet in August 2015 for approximately $590m.
Online lenders will be one of the primary target customer groups for the newly minted Risk Insight solution. Yodlee already counts hundreds of internet services companies amogst its users. The company yesterday participated in the “Product Development Using Data” panel at LendIt USA – one of the best-established shop windows in the online lending industry.
Practically speaking, Envestnet | Yodlee believes that the Risk Insight tool will allow lenders to make more informed, data-based decisions when evaluating borrowers. Borrower information is collated electronically and transmitted directly and seamlessly to lenders. The Risk Insight tool contains data from a borrower’s bank and other accounts, including transaction information. The emphasis here is on the present. Credit bureau data, conversely, tends to be backward looking – centred instead upon a borrower’s historical interaction with credit.
The new Risk Insight product may well be of interest to platforms like SoFi, which famously cut ties with FICO in January this year. The cause of this disconnect was that SoFi – which lends exclusively to young professionals – is built around a credit process which is forward-looking, rather than backward-looking. The new Envestnet | Yodlee offering may or may not be of interest to SoFi, but one would have to think that it stands a better chance of providing value than traditional credit bureau data.
Terry McKeown, Practice Manager in Credit Analytics at Envestnet | Yodlee, offered his thoughts:
“By introducing this new solution we are essentially enabling lenders to make more informed underwriting decisions, and ultimately improving approval rates to help mitigate credit losses. Our solution is fast, comprehensive, and precise. We’re looking forward to seeing the results for financial institutions on our platform as they begin to use the data provided by the Risk Insight API.”


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Posts tagged “Operating Systems”
Frank Calderoni, a long-time financial executive and chief financial officer at Cisco, could have had his pick of tech jobs after leaving the networking giant last year. So why did he pick Raleigh-based Red Hat, which is a long way from Silicon Valley? He cites many reasons in an exclusive interview with WRAL TechWire.
In today's Bulldog Update of technology news: Reveal Mobile names digital ad exec Andy Schrader as chief product officer; Microsoft launching Office 2016 this month; Facebook opens liive video streaming app to journalists; Ellen Pao won't appeal loss lawsuit.
Red Hat, Citrix, VMWare. Symantec and Microsoft are the key players in the growing virtualization market, says a new report from Research and Markets. And they are fighting for share in a growing market, which is expected to double over the next five years.
Analysis: IBM creates international media attention and industry buzz with the unveiling of new mainframes targeting Linux. Mainframes are a rare bright spot for Big Blue in hardware, and the new LinuxONE program has a big upside, believes analyst Stephen Belanger of Technology Business Research.
Big Blue is rolling out new mainframes focusing on open source Linux, a sure sign that hardware isn't quite dead at IBM. Mainframes remain a profit center even as IBM has shed in recent years its PCs, printers, point-of-sale and x86 server businesses as well as semiconductors.
Microsoft's new Windows 10 operating system debuts Wednesday, as the longtime leader in PC software struggles to carve out a new role in a world where people increasingly rely on smartphones, tablets and information stored online.
Lenovo retains its top position astride International Data Corp. (IDC) second quarter PC shipment market share tracker, moving from 19.4 percent of the market a year ago to 20.3 percent. Lenovo CEO Gianfranco Lanci says the PC business is a powerful growth engine for the company.
Will Windows 10 hit the market in July? CNET reports that LIsa Su, the CEO of Advanced Micro Devices disclosed the release date during a conference call Friday discussing AMD's first-quarter earnings.
Shares in Red Hat haven't been this hot since the go-go days of the "dot com" boom when the company went public and its shares soared to $105. On Thursday, shares soared 11 percent to a new 52-week high of $76.70 after a strong earnings report on Wednesday. And Wall Street analysts are impressed.
Fervent customer demand for Apple's brand and devices globally is fueling phenomenal growth of the iPhone business, and China is emerging as an important pillar of Apple's long-term growth strategy, according to Technology Business Research.
Red Hat delivered another quarter of revenue growth in 4Q14, increasing a reported 15% from the year ago quarter to $456 million. This marks the 11th straight quarter of year-to-year revenue growth for the vendor. So what's driving growth? Technology Business Research analyst Andrew Smith offers his detailed insight.
The recently announced partnership between Apple and IBM to develop apps for Apple's iOS operating system is delivering its first solutions: Ten apps as part of IBM MobileFirst for iOS. And some major clients already have signed on.
Microsoft is offering free upgraded versions of its Office software for iPhones and iPads, as the software giant further embraces the so-called "freemium" strategy favored by many newer companies seeking success online.
The Red Hat of today is a far cry from the still-small team of entrepreneurs that unveiled 20 years ago what would evolve into Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Not only is RHEL one of the most widely used support platforms on Wall Street, it is also a global brand. Red Hat veterans remember the "Halloween" release 20 years ago.
Microsoft did release one component, the Outlook email program, through the company's Office 365 subscription service, which costs $100 a year. But a full Office package for Macs was expected this year, as Microsoft usually releases that a year after it produces a new version for Windows.
Facebook and Red Hat made appeals to other technology companies to further embrace Open Source and recruit more women at the All Things Open Conference. While Facebook adds IBM, Microsoft and Yahoo to its OS group, Red Hat's chief people officer calls for more women to get involved in technology - period. WRAL TechWire's Allan Maurer has the details for our Insiders.
When you start a company with a product or service to sell, Bob Young, co-founder of Red Hat and Lulu.com, told a packed room at the All Things Open conference at the Raleigh Convention Center: "You don't sell a product's features, you sell benefits." He also offers more advice. What is it? WRAL TechWire's Allan Maurer has the details for our Insiders in this exclusive report.


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Listen: Notre Dame Cathedral, Notre Dame And Daria Albinger discussed on Afternoon News with Tom Glasgow and Elisa Jaffe
"Daria Albinger, this fire of Notre Dame cathedral may have been lost in yesterday's devastating fire. But officials say it's famed rose-windows the organ and relics including what is believed to be the crown of thorns worn by Jesus were saved. French president Emmanuel Macron vowing to rebuild the cathedral within five years and expensive proposition to rebuild. Notre Dom before the fire a group called friends of Notre Dame estimated the cathedral needed one hundred fifty million euros in restoration now with it nearly destroyed hundreds of millions of euros have poured in just a few of the well, no names include Bernard Arnault, the French billionaire behind Louis Vitton who has pledged two hundred million euros Francois. And re panel the CEO of caring group, which owns Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent has pledged one hundred million euros, even Apple's Tim cook tweeted, his company will be donating to the effort as well."


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Farmers’ relief as KTDA boosts monthly yields
Tea farmers affiliated to Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) in the Mt Kenya region will get a payout of Sh21 per kilogramme of green leaf up from Sh16 that has been paid in the last three years.
Already factories in the east of Rift Valley have informed their growers of the new amount following the government directive that they get 50 per cent of their earnings on a monthly basis.
In the notices, the growers, estimated at over half the 600,000 smallholders, are advised that any increase in farm-level costs, including plucking labour, was not justified and would further erode their earnings.
Meru regional KTDA Director Paul Ringera said all factories east of the Rift Valley had settled on Sh21 per kilogramme to improve farmers’ regular earnings, but had decided to terminate the interim payment (mini bonus) usually paid at the end of April at Sh5 per kilogramme.
The mini bonus payments usually covered the cumulative half-year produce between July and December of the preceding year.
“The factories west of the Rift Valley have elected to pay a monthly rate of Sh18 on the other hand,” said Ringera, who added that the factories were keen to ensure long-term stability of the sector amidst contentious government driven reforms.
In Murang’a County, the tea processing factories have issued notice to their growers that they will be paying green leaf at Sh21 per kilogramme with effect from January.
Majority of the KTDA directors confirmed that the new payment was passed during board meetings that approved the Sh21 payment per kilogramme of the green leaf, but requested anonymity following pending suits challenging the implementation of regulations passed by the Parliament and Senate.
They warned that the annual bonus will be affected by the increment in the monthly prices, as the prices at the auction markets have reduced.
The notices seen by The Standard are from Makomboki, Njunu and Kiru Tea factories in Murang’a County, and are pinned at their leaf collection centres.
Last month, the factory’s board of directors reviewed the monthly green leaf payment from Sh16 to Sh21 with effect from January 2021, read part of the notice at a buying centre affiliated to Kiru Tea Factory in Mathioya.
In 2019, the agency following the demand by the farmers increased payment for green leaf from Sh15 to Sh16, a move that led to public outcry after which former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri summoned the KTDA board to his office over the same.
Kiru Tea Factory had three years ago written to KTDA expressing its willingness to pay its growers Sh25 per kilogramme of green leaf.
KTDA directors describe the move as intended to match payments with the cost of living, while some farmers argued that this was a move to adhere to the tea regulation passed by Parliament that requires that they get 50 per cent of the payment.
However, a farmer from Kigumo Sub-county, James Mwaura, expected to get not less than Sh30 per kilogramme.
“Let the managing agent not deceive the farmers with little increment in payment, but should adhere with the reforms passed by Parliament and Senate,” said Mwaura.
Ex-governor finds purpose in dairy
White gold: Is camel milk the next big thing?
FarmKenya value chain series: The crop protection edition
Tea farmers defy court order, proceed to elect new office holders


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In August 2013, Mark Zuckerberg tapped out a 10-page white paper on his iPhone and shared it on Facebook. It was intended as a call to action for the tech industry: Facebook was going to help get people online. Everyone should be entitled to free basic internet service, Zuckerberg argued. Data was, like food or water, a human right. Universal basic internet service is possible, he wrote, but “it isn’t going to happen by itself.” Wiring the world required powerful players—institutions like Facebook. For this plan to be feasible, getting data to people had to become a hundred times cheaper. Zuckerberg said this should be possible within five to 10 years. It was an audacious proposal for the founder of a social software company to make. But the Zuckerberg of 2013 had not yet been humbled by any significant failure. In a few months, the service he’d launched between classes at Harvard would turn 10. A few months after that, he would be turning 30. It was a … [Read more...] about What Happened to Facebook’s Grand Plan to Wire the World?
Connect the world
Viz recently announced a partnership with Rose City Games as its first foray into game publishing with an indie developer on its first project. It’s called The World Next Door, and it looks like a satisfying amalgam of some of the coolest parts of anime and gaming in both subcultures. We had a brief Q&A session with Viz’s Eric Eberhardt, Director of Business Development, about the new venture and what we can expect to see come out of it. If you’re interested in seeing what happens next for the indie gaming scene and the popular anime publisher, then you’ll definitely want to pay attention. The gaming market is extremely competitive. What prompted the decision to enter the game publishing arena at this time? The market is extremely competitive, but we feel that Viz is uniquely positioned to introduce new games to a proven & enthusiastic audience. And partnering with Rose City Games helps us to identify up-and-coming indie devs who are often already … [Read more...] about Viz’s Eric Eberhardt Dishes on ‘The World Next Door’ With Us
Elon Musk looks to have delivered on his promise to build the biggest lithium ion battery in the world in an effort to help South Australia with its crippling energy problems. “100 days from contract signature or it’s free,” Musk tweeted at the time, in a deal initially negotiated over Twitter. Musk is well ahead of schedule (a rarity for Tesla!), with the 100MW battery set to be energised and tested in the coming days, according to a press release from the local state government. Tesla Powerpacks have been installed and connected at Neoen's Hornsdale windfarm, north of Adelaide, and battery tests will be run to ensure local regulatory requirements are met before it begins operating on December 1st. South Australia suffered a state wide blackout last September, which sparked a highly politicized national debate about energy security. The Australian Government blamed the failure of renewable energy to cover usage. Musk's battery farm stores huge amounts of energy from … [Read more...] about Elon Musk has finished building the world’s biggest battery in less than 100 days
In May 2015, researchers in central Kazakhstan witnessed something really strange: thousands of saiga antelopes began acting a bit weird, becoming unbalanced, and then just plopping on the ground within a few hours — dead. Over the course of just three weeks, more than 200,000 saigas died, or about 60 percent of the global population. “I had never seen anything like it,” says Richard Kock, a wildlife veterinarian and professor at the Royal Veterinary College in the UK. “It was very concerning because it was so unnatural, outside of the realm of my experience.” The saiga antelopes were later found to be infected with a bacterium that causes blood poisoning and internal bleeding, or hemorrhagic septicemia. Now, a new study shows that unusually wet and hot weather played a key role in causing the outbreak. How exactly that happened, though, remains a bit of a mystery. Researchers analyzed historical data related to other mass die-offs of saigas from the … [Read more...] about Here’s why 60 percent of the world’s saiga antelopes were wiped out in 2015
Back in the '90s, when Webcams were hot and we used the World-Wide Web Worm as our preferred search engine, I worked for a tiny online village of Apple Mac users called eWorld. Apple dabbled in this easy-to use community between June 1994 and March 1996, and eWorld became my first full-time job in college. From 1995 to 1996, I worked as a Web editor for eWorld in an R&D division of Apple's Electronic Media Lab in Boulder, Colorado. I wrote reviews of websites for the InGuide section of eWorld, which covered topics such as entertainment, education, technology, news, sports, kids' content, lifestyle and gaming. I made sure users could find the best sites, which everyone would share with each other over email, and I did it all on a Power Macintosh 8100, a major improvement from the ancient IBM DOS-only computers I'd written on during my internship at the local paper. Back then, the Internet was just starting to pick up steam, and I couldn't wait to get into the eWorld office every … [Read more...] about My Apple gig: Helping ‘ePeople’ untangle the World Wide Web


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Here is the top news that you may not have heard of this week:
California requires proof of vaccination or negative COVID tests for any indoor event with more than 1,000 people. And LA County this week issued a mask-wearing mandate for all attendees at outdoor events of 10,000 or more people, including Dodgers, Rams, Chargers games, and concert-goers at the Hollywood Bowl.
Disneyland is abolishing its Fastpass system. Instead, visitors have to pay $ 20 through the Disney Genie app to skip long lines at popular rides like Thunder Mountain and the Haunted Mansion.
Cruise ships are making a comeback in California. The Carnival Panorama set sail from Long Beach Port on Saturday, making it the first cruise ship to take off in the state in a year and a half due to the pandemic.


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A blind woman in Peterborough says she feels violated and angry after her Braille computer was stolen in a burglary.
Georgina Rimmer's £3,500 computer was taken while she slept - she relied on it for making notes.
It only has braille keys so it's of no use to the thief.
Click below to watch a report from ITV News Anglia's Stuart Leithes
More top news
New research has apparently confirmed that women spend longer at the bar ordering drinks then men do.
Over the past few centuries thousands of people have come to the Anglia region as refugees, but not all of them have decided to stay.
One woman reportedly broke down into tears when she was handed the card by an 'ordinary-looking, middle-aged man'.


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Analysis: Financials have started out the earnings season on a rough note for sure. Banks have struggled to live up to expectations, but expectations were higher this quarter. Capital One (NYSE:COF), on the other hand, has been dogged over the past several days due to financials and fears spread by American Express that are company specific. Estimates, additionally, for COF are significantly lower quarter-over-quarter despite significant rises in consumer spending and decreases in delinquencies. Further, the company has consistently beat earnings. The question is really not if COF can beat earnings, but it's rather can they beat them enough in order to take a somewhat overvalued stock even higher.
If you had looked at COF one week ago, it was on a tear, moving up and showing no signs of quitting. Its recent pullback, however, has actually created the buying opportunity moving forward. The company has nose-dived after hitting 49 with a slew of bad earnings from banks and a brief from American Express. Yet, the company has moved down for reasons it really should not have. The banks are truly unlike COF. While Capital One does operate like a bank and has some branches, it's made by its credit card business. What have people been doing in the last three months? Not taking loans ... but spending money. This is great news for credit card companies, and it will be reflected in COF's earnings. American Express laid some fears on the table, though, earlier this week by saying it may miss estimates, but this was due to a company specific movement of personnel to a different city that took a huge expense.
Capital One has seen delinquencies for its credit cards fall October - December while at the same time seeing nationwide consumer spending increase. Delinquencies and charge-offs in September were 4.53% and 8.38%. In December, these rates were 4.09% and 7.09%. These are significant declines that help the company increase margins, revenue and income. Further, the company makes money off of consumers spending money on Capital One credit cards that are Visa and Mastercard branded. Consumer spending rose 0.4% and 0.3% in October and November. December should be more of the same. Further bullish news is that holiday spending was done significantly online where payments tend to be credit cards.
One problem for credit card issuers is a new law that limits how much money companies can charge merchants for debit card purchases. Capital One does not operate a significant debit card industry, so this rule is not as affecting. What is shocking for COF is that despite its continual heavy beatings of earnings, EPS estimates are so low still. The high-end expects in the 1.60-range versus the 1.24 consensus.
Another earnings beat is right around the corner. The recent pullback is why we are buying COF, and why this stock will be able to push $50 when earnings are released this evening.
Get some while you can!
Entry: We are looking to get involved at 46.60 - 46.95.
Exit: We are looking to exit tomorrow morning after earnings or intraday if gains are more than 2%.
Stop Loss: 3% intraday.
Timeline: Overnight Trade.
Oxen Entry: 46.75.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.


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Pokémon frenzy took over New York City on April 22 as Nintendo held a party in Rockefeller Center to celebrate the release of Pokémon Diamond/Pearl. Thousands of fans spanning all sorts of ages, ethnicities, and places of origin gathered together to participate in the events both inside and outside the Nintendo World Store.
The highlight of the day was an organized performance hosted by a woman dressed up as Dawn, the female protagonist from the new games. On a big stage set up with speakers and a giant screen, the host introduced the three starting Pokémon as well as some other guests such as Professor John, who talked about a handful of features in the new game. Some of the most anticipated aspects were mentioned, like wireless battling with anyone in the world and the Pokétch, a multipurpose watch that includes up to twenty useful features ranging from a clock to a drawing pad.
The stage also played host to a $10,000 check donated by Gail Tilden of Nintendo in honor of Earth Day.
What drew the most cheers, however, was an interview with game director Junichi Masuda, who gave advice as to how to become a video game designer as well as telling people about some of the game's intricacies. He mentioned that April 22 was a monumental day because it was the first day that American and Japanese Pokémon fans could play together online.
In a designated plaza next to the store, the aforementioned stage was set up along with a handful of tents. Contests, playable game stations, drawing areas, wandering Pokémon, and a scavenger hunt appealed to everyone in the crowd, from kids to teenagers; even adults got into the excitement as they were called upon stage with their children to actually perform as Pokémon. The winning family in this unique contest, determined by crowd applause, won a Nintendo DS.
Outside of the store the lines ranged for blocks as fans waited to get inside. The interior of the store, which was filled with copies of Pokémon Diamond/Pearl, was also packed with people.
Fortunately, it was a beautiful day in New York City, and the weather seemed perfectly timed for Nintendo as their event in Rockefeller Center launched with startlingly large crowds. Even as the day wound down, the line was getting longer and longer as thousands of people hoped to get their hands on copies of the new Pokémon game, which is now available in stores everywhere.


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"Your own personal floors'' says an advertisement from a leading real estate developer for its new project in the National Capital Region (NCR).
That is not a solitary project luring customers with prized personal floors. In a trend that has taken off in a significant way, more and more developers are launching independent floors with lawns and basement/roof terraces in gated communities, to attract buyers, who otherwise opt for builder floors prevalent in the unorganised real estate sector.
Often, builder floors fall short when it comes to facilities such as power back-up, security, gym, sports space, community hall and club.
Among recent launches, Jaypee announced its project Udaan - The Personal Floors on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida, Unitech announced Ivy Terraces in Gurgaon and Vatika announced its India Next project on the Dwarka Expressway. And the trend is not restricted to NCR only. Many realtors are doing it in Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and other major cities.
Experts say this is the developer's alternative for people who love independent living and opt for builder floors. Builder floor apartments are popular in areas including Delhi-NCR, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad among others. Also, luxury is a recession-proof segment. And, being a high- margin business, it offers enough incentives for developers to focus on this segment and come out with new models/designs in this space.
"It (independent luxury floors) is the next level after luxury apartments which has a huge market," says an executive with a leading developer, which is also planning to launch such a project in NCR.
Harinder Singh, managing director, Realistic Realtors, says, "The luxury market is evolving. This is a new concept which developers are coming out with since they have segmented luxury/premium into various categories. It's a niche market and there are enough takers for this segment."
But, he cautions that only right products with good location, design, facilities, convenience will be sold. "There is only space for good limited products. You can't overdo and kill the luxury market," Singh adds.
The data says it all. The new launches in the high-end segment, which are properties from above Rs 2 crore, have increased by almost 45 per cent in January-August this year at 12,601 units, compared to the same period last year with 8,665 units, according to data by real estate research firm PropEquity. Many such projects are priced between Rs 1 crore and Rs 2 crore, though it depends on the location. On the Yamuna Expressway, the prices are on the lower side.
Apart from independent floors, the new projects by developers boast of low density/low rise development. With high rise a common feature in NCR, this new concept is bound to create ripples in the consumer's mind, according to a Gurgaon-based broker tracking the sector.
"Going forward, luxury will have more weightage in a developer's portfolio, both in terms of number as well as value. NCR, Mumbai and Bangalore will continue to be luxury destinations because of HNIs and investors," he added.
JAYPEE - Udaan – The Personal Floors on the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida
UNITECH - Ivy Terraces in Gurgaon
VATIKA - India Next on the Dwarka Expressway


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You love cheese. But Matthew Silverman loves it more, and lucky for you, he likes to share.
Silverman, the executive chef at Vintner Grill, has launched a fun daily cheese tasting Monday through Friday evenings at the handsome Summerlin restaurant with the cool patio. Consider it the cheese-of-the-day spotlight. See, Silverman, who’s also executive chef at the Roadrunner Saloons and Agave, has been running one of the city’s best cheese programs at Vintner for years—there are 60-70 varieties rotating on the menu—and now he’s bringing out the extra special stuff for you to sample, for free.
- Vintner Grill
- 10100 W. Charleston Blvd.
- Cheese tasting Mon-Fri, 5-6 p.m.
Why’s he doing it? “It frustrates me when I go to a restaurant and they have the same standard, generic cheese plate. That’s why at Vintner we have it set up so you can customize it, order one, three or five selections, and mix and match,” he says. “This tasting is so we can build on that, featuring a new cheese every day, and it’s going to be stuff you can’t get anywhere else.” It started last week. Wednesday’s cheese was an amazing triple cream French blue, Saint Agur. Where most of these cheeses are dry and crumbly, this is moist and almost buttery, still with the rich, sharp flavor of blue. This is what the Vintner cheese experience is all about.
“If you realize how complicated it is to make this stuff, how long it takes and how many steps and elements go into making these products, it’s pretty unbelievable,” Silverman said. “This is about trying something new and different in a way that’s not intimidating.” Indeed, there’s no reason to fear the cheese.


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2014 was year of big successes (Frozen), milestones (Hello Kitty’s 40th) and industry-changing innovations (3D printing). Here’s a recap of the news that shaped the year.
Greeting card designer The London Studio is shifting its business toward a licensing model to allow founder Soula Zavacopoulos more time for creative development.
Iron Gut Publishing has partnered with the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity for a collection of artwork featuring the Peter Pan brand.
The Caleb Gray Studio has appointed Ideaologie to rep the artist's portfolio for licensing.
Firefly Brand Management has signed a host of new licensees for Mr. Bubble as the bubble bath brand readies for its 55th anniversary next year.
Kennedy Publishing and Koko Media have extended their agreement to include Deer Little Forest in the U.K. preschool magazines Get Busy and Busy Time.
Bare Tree Media has snagged the global digital licensing rights for design company Wonderville Studios and its brands.
Knockout Licensing has made two new additions to the lifestyle program for the Little House on the Prairie brand, based on the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Pantone has created its first character-inspired color based on the Minions characters from Illumination Entertainment and Universal's Despicable Me franchise.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products has granted 3 Dimensional Art the rights to develop 3D art products for classic Warner Bros. properties and DC Comics Super Heroes.
National Geographic has selected British product designer IF as an international giftware licensee to create bookmarks, playing cards and other gifts that showcase the brand's photographic archives.
Social expressions designers Kathy Davis saw sales of more than $100 million of her licensed goods at retail last year.
Lawless Entertainment has appointed Paris-based The Agency to represent the Suzy’s Zoo brand in France and Benelux for licensing.
New Jersey-based Fire Flies Entertainment has announced the latest offering from young adult author and R&B singing sensation Tanille Edwards.
Art licensing company MGL has signed on to represent contemporary artist Dan Fenelon.
Enseco has renewed its licensing agreement with artist Jim Shore until 2019.
U.K. gaming software developers Microgaming has created an online slot game for Jurassic Park in partnership with Universal Partnerships & Licensing.
Haven Licensing will now represent Artestar and manage the licensing of its art, design and pop culture brands in Australia and New Zealand.
Cartoon Network has launched LEGO Game Creator, an online application that allows kids to build their own games or play games created by other players.
Apparel company Loudmouth, known for its bold, bright patterns, has signed a new licensing deal with electronics accessories specialist, iHip.
Paul Frank announced a partnership with Scottish R&B singer/songwriter and Elton John protégé Tallia Storm, who will be featured in the U.K. Pajammin campaign.
©2015 ADVANSTAR COMMUNICATIONS INC. All rights reserved.


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Mass Effect 3… in space…
In case you don’t know, a playable demo has already hit Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network.
But next week, a select intrepid few will have the opportunity to play the full game before it hits stores. Publisher Electronic Arts will be launching copies of the game into space using weather balloons that will be released in New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Berlin, London and Paris.
In other Mass Effect news, a new trailer for the game will be shown during AMC’s TV series The Walking Dead Sunday at 9 p.m, for UK viewers, this can be watched via the internet the following day.


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Guernsey Dairy has depleted its £5million reserves by nearly a fifth in the last two years, the States' 2018 accounts have shown.
At the start of 2017, the STSB owned body had a total equity of £5.045million, but on 31 December 2018 there was just £4.205million remaining.
Just in 2018, the Dairy was budgeting to make a £25k surplus, but actually ended up making an overall deficit of £486k. This was on top of a similar £354k deficit in 2017.
Revenue from milk sales did actually rise in 2018 by 3.6%, and the Dairy's overall revenues were £469,000, 6% higher than 2017. Butter also continued its strong sales performance with a 20.5% increase in sales revenues.
But in reality, milk sales were statistically down, with 2.8% fewer litres sold compared to the year before. The revenue rose because the gate price of Guernsey Milk went up by 4.75p in March 2018.
The losses to the reserves came mainly from other areas, however.
In its accounts, the Dairy said the key reasons for the 2018 losses were a one off payment of £150k made to farmers, losses because of delays in putting the milk prices up, repairs and maintenance costing £110k more than was budgeted for, losses on investments and an 'impairment loss'. In 2017, it ran into similar difficulties with having to make large one off payments, and the need to invest in repairs and maintenance.
Another source of expenditure for the Dairy was its ongoing capital expenditure programme, which it embarked on after its facilities were criticised by health regulators. In 2018 it spent £299k on upgrading the production system, a new butter cream tank, and ice cream freezer and more. That project has been ongoing since 2017.
Also in 2018, the total cost of raw milk purchases from farmers increased by 9.5%. Packaging expenses saw a £89k (15.6%) year on year increase largely due to supplier price increases.
Going forward, the Dairy said: "[we] continue [to] focus on efficiency with set targets in 2019 to build on some of the savings realised in 2018.
Pictured top: Guernsey milk.
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New incubator `dotcommery' to build ideas into businesses When Morris Wheeler hears about a good tech idea, he now has place to put it. Mr. Wheeler, a lawyer turned matchmaker for angel investors and entrepreneurs in Cleveland, has created a 'digital business accelerator,' or incubator, called the dotcommery LLC. The dotcommery, located in the Atrium Building on Euclid Avenue downtown, is designed to help launch Internet and other technology-related businesses. Mr. Wheeler said he closed a seed capital fund-raising round last week that yielded more than $1 million, though he would not disclose exactly how much was raised. The money came from the 10 people who sit on the dotcommery's advisory board, he said. The concept of technology incubators isn't new to Northeast Ohio; several, including Hatchbox Inc. in Fairlawn and Net11 downtown, have started in the last couple months. But Mr. Wheeler said the dotcommery, which offers roughly 12,000 square feet to tenants and will generate revenues by charging them for services and rent, distinguishes itself by targeting pure startups rather than existing, early-stage companies. 'The dotcommery goes out and finds entrepreneurs with ideas. and starts a company with them,' Mr. Wheeler said. He said the dotcommery will take ownership stakes of varying degrees in tenant companies. As an example, he said the dotcommery's first tenant is 1800-HomeCare.com, a company that helps families find home health care agencies via the Internet. Mr. Wheeler said he heard similar ideas for such a company from Gregg Hamerschlag, who is based in New York, and Susan Luria, who was in Florida but now is in Cleveland. Mr. Wheeler put the two in touch and helped launch 1800HomeCare.com here. 'We were looking for Internet and technology expertise,' said Ms. Luria, who is president and chief operating officer of 1800-HomeCare.com. The company has 13 employees and partners with individuals who know the home health care business, but it needed access to 'the highest quality resources with a background in technology on the Internet,' Ms. Luria said. The dotcommery provides that expertise, she said. Other incubators provide their tenants with networks of professional services, web services or nice office space. While Mr. Wheeler will introduce his tenants to lawyers, accountants and other professionals, he won't require them to use those professionals. Rather, Mr. Wheeler said he and his two employees at the dotcommery will provide tenant companies with the experience they've gained in starting Internet businesses. Prior to starting the incubator, Mr. Wheeler in 1997 co-founded Sputnik7.com, an independent music marketing and distribution site based in New York. After 18 months of commuting from Cleveland to New York, Mr. Wheeler's former partners bought his shares in Sputnik and he left the company. Mr. Wheeler came to Cleveland from New York in 1994 to become president of Clarion Capital, a Cleveland-based venture capital firm that he left in March 1997. Mr. Wheeler 'is a guy who has a track record of creating value on the Internet,' said Jim Spira, a dotcommery advisory board member. He said the dotcommery 'is based on real experience. and is being done by someone who's been there and done it.' Mr. Spira is a managing partner in the Cleveland office of Diamond Technology Partners, an Internet strategy consulting firm based in Chicago. He also is on the board of AmericanGreetings.com, the greeting card company's Internet division. Another dotcommery advisory board member, Nathaniel Leonard, is ramping up an Internet venture as president of WeldersMall.com, a new web site that brings together manufacturers and distributors of welding equipment and supplies. Mr. Leonard contends that the dotcommery goes beyond most incubators in the insight it can give start-up operators. 'Anyone can put together a group of lawyers and accountants,' he said. 'What's valuable to a startup is being able to bounce busine ss problems off the people giving (the business) money.. The board of advisers is going to help stress-test these new ventures.' Mr. Wheeler said the dotcommery will have a representative on each tenant company's board, as well as an executive at the company. For instance, the dotcommery's vice president of operations and finance, Steven Goden, is chief financial officer at 1800HomeCare.com, and Mr. Wheeler is on its board. The dotcommery's third employee, Chris Brown, is in charge of strategic and business development. He is helping 1800HomeCare.com plan its business direction. 'Someone from the dotcommery will always be involved' with the tenant companies, Mr. Wheeler said. 'The partner companies are not just investments and not just divisions of the dotcommery. They're somewhere in between.' The dotcommery expects to have a second tenant in the incubator by fall and possibly a third by the end of the year, Mr. Wheeler said. He expects the tenants to remain in the incubator 12 to 18 months.
Wheeler turning focus to startups
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Blog: And now, the end is near... Chris' Final Blog
Chris Brook-Carter | 8 November 2005
It’s hard to believe that I have been with just-drinks now for almost six years, over four of those as editor. That adds up to well over 200 weekly newsletters, around 750 features and close to 15,000 news stories that I have written, edited or overseen on this Website. In that time, we’ve covered the end of two drinks empires in Seagram and Allied Domecq, tracked the rise of child obesity and alcohol abuse as they’ve become the burning issues of the day, and broken stories in every sector of the drinks industry.
And all the while the website has grown. There were 600 readers the day I joined. The just-drinks’ community now includes some 120,000 individuals from all fields of the business. The only certainty that I have learnt from all this is that things keep changing. And they have done here too.
We have constantly looked to evolve just-drinks to keep it at the forefront of business publishing and, from next week, the latest phase of that development will begin, when I hand over the daily reins of our Website to its new editor Olly Wehring. We are also joined by a new news editor, Dean Best, who many of you will know from the leading print magazine Wine & Spirit International, and an expanded reporting team.
As managing editor, I will still be taking a healthy interest in the drinks industry and just-drinks. But I will also be heavily involved from now on in our sister Websites just-auto, just-food and just-style meaning that, while it’s certainly not goodbye, you will be seeing a lot less of me on a day-to-day basis.
So in this, my last blog, it only goes for me to say thank you to all our readers, who have made the last six years so enjoyable, and good luck to the new look just-drinks team under Olly, who has already topped me this week by securing an exclusive interview with Diageo CEO Paul Walsh, more of which can be seen in our features section.
This weekend sees yet another “International Day” for a drinks category. Lucky us. Anyway, ahead of Sunday’s International Cachaça Day, here’s a wealth of information on Brazil’s national spirit, cour...
In yet one more sign that The Coca-Cola Co is losing its lustre, the soft drinks maker has, for the first time, fallen out of the top ten of a 'world's biggest brands' ranking....
What a week for stats! Yesterday, the Beverage Marketing Corporation released figures to show the bottled water market had more than doubled over the past 15 years in the US....
The Euro 2016 football tournament is almost upon us....
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